Planned Adult Mosquito Treatment 08/29/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 23, 2026

Contact:

Geoff Taylor, District Manager
Jackson County Vector Control District
541-826-2199
gtaylor@jcvcd.gov

Vector control levy headed to November ballot
Growing public health risks and service demands prompt levy proposal

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — The Jackson County Vector Control District (JCVCD) Board of Trustees has approved a resolution placing a five-year local option levy on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

If approved by voters, the levy would provide funding to maintain and expand the surveillance, testing, prevention, and public education programs that help protect Jackson County residents from mosquito- and tick-borne diseases.

The proposed levy would provide an additional $0.05 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For a property assessed at $300,000, the estimated cost would be approximately $15 per year, or about $1.25 per month.

District officials say the levy proposal is driven by increased demand for services, the arrival of new invasive species, and rising operational costs.

One example is the arrival of Aedes aegypti, an invasive mosquito species first identified in Jackson County in 2023. Prior to its arrival, the District received only five mosquito-related public service interactions in the affected area. Within a year, that number increased to 2,268. Monitoring and response efforts have expanded significantly as a result, including hundreds of additional trap deployments, increased public outreach and education, and seasonal staffing extensions to meet demand.

At the same time, the District continues to monitor mosquito populations for West Nile virus and other diseases while responding to mosquito breeding complaints, conducting habitat reduction efforts, and providing services such as the annual Free Tire Recycle Drive, which helps eliminate common mosquito breeding sites at no cost to residents.

“Vector control is one of those services that often happens behind the scenes, but it plays an important role in protecting public health and quality of life for all of us,” said Craig Hilty, president of the JCVCD Board of Trustees. “This levy would help ensure the District can continue responding to emerging threats while maintaining the services residents rely on every day.”

If approved, levy funding would support the addition of a full-time lab and surveillance technician, expanded mosquito and tick monitoring efforts, ongoing disease surveillance and testing, habitat reduction programs, rodent and fly control activities, public outreach, and the equipment and operational resources needed to sustain those services.

The District currently operates with two full-time field technicians serving more than 220,000 residents across Jackson County. Officials say the additional resources would help the District respond to growing service demands while continuing to provide vector control services throughout the county.

JCVCD is funded through a dedicated property tax levy and does not receive operating funds from Jackson County government. Additional information about the proposed levy and District services is available at www.jcvcd.gov.

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Since 1968, JCVCD has worked to reduce vector-borne disease risks and support a healthier, safer outdoor environment for Jackson County residents. The District conducts surveillance, disease testing, habitat reduction, and public education to help protect the community year round. For more information, visit www.jcvcd.gov.